Noida's Assamese community celebrates Durga Puja

TNN | Sep 29, 2017, 01.00 AM IST

Noida's Assamese community celebrates Durga Puja

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Noida's Assamese community cel...

Dressed in traditional Assamese mekhla chador, members of Noida Axomiya Durgotsav Association (NADA) in Sector 119, made the most of the Durga Puja celebration. Since the pandal was set up by the Assamese community of Noida, Goddess Durga was seen wearing a mekhla chador too, with a traditional golpata (neckpiece). The pandal was covered with white cloth that signifies that the idol must be covered to prevent the rays of the moon from reaching her. "We believe that Durga is the mother goddess and the moon is a demigod, so it is not above the goddess. This is the first time that we are organizing this Puja in the Assamese way and the response has been really nice," says Biman Chandra Borthakur, president of the association. "With japi, gamcha and other such items, we have decorated the pandal in typical Assamese style. We performed 60% of the rituals in typical Bengali way and 40% in traditional Assamese way. We have the big Assamese cymbals that we play during the puja. We believe that Maa Durga is our daughter and she comes back home from the Himalayas for these five days," says Ritupan Kaushik, one of the Puja in-charges.

Assamese women in their traditional best at the Sector 119 Puja (BCCL/ Lokesh Kashyap)

He adds, "This is a very special puja which we have performed. We call it bel bodhan puja in which we make the Goddess sit under this Lord Shiva’s bael tree where Shashti Puja is done."

Celebrity singer Kalpana Potwary, who has sung songs like Gandi Baat, Uncha Lamba Kad etc, performed on Saptami, alongwith other artists from Assam. Also, people enjoyed bhog at the venue which consisted of simple rice, dal, sabzi and chapati.

The association also released a Durga Puja souvenir and they received a special message from PM Modi and the chief of Assam Tourism wishing them all the best for the launch of their souvenir.